Waukesha
State Bank to mark 75 years this springAs
it looks ahead, community lending, service will remain
primary mission

By CARA SPOTO - Freeman Staff

Dec. 16, 2015

Waukesha
State Bank founder Carl Taylor (left) posed in this January 1993
photo with his son Don Taylor and grandson Ty Taylor. At the
time, the men, all of whom have served as president of the bank,
were all members of the financial institution’s board of
directors.

Submitted
photo

WAUKESHA
— When Waukesha State Bank opened its doors in 1944, it had a
handful of employees, and one key mission — to provide banking
services not just to the wealthy, but for the average joe as well.

As it
prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary this spring, the bank that
started in an old record shop at 323 W. Main St. now boasts 13
branches and 300 employees, but its goal is still the same — to
remain a community bank focused on serving the consumer banking and
lending needs of Waukesha County residents and businesses.

“I
don’t think anyone could have imagined 75 years ago that Waukesha
State Bank would grow to be an almost billion dollar bank. Over the
past 75 years, we’ve been able to help build businesses, fulfill
home ownership dreams and help people save for their future,”
Waukesha State Bank President & CEO Ty R. Taylor said of the bank,
which remains independent and locally-owned to this day. “We look
forward to 75 more years of serving the community.”

Local
lending

As it
looks ahead, Taylor said one of the things the bank will remain
committed to is local lending. While national banks can and do lend
money across a wide swath of the country, WSB makes its mission to
invest in local Waukesha County businesses.

The
bank takes its commitment to local business lending so seriously that
it recently learned that it will once again be the recipient of a
Wisconsin Small Business Administration (SBA) Volume Lender Award,
this time for fiscal year 2018.

Waukesha
State Bank’s mascot Friendly the Eagle (left); the bank’s
Vice President - Marketing Manager, Stephanie Ohlfs; and its
President and CEO Ty Taylor pose for a check presentation photo
in September 2018 with Brian Schlei, athletics and activities
director of Waukesha North High School.

Submitted
Photo

According
to a press release, the bank generated a total of 26 SBA loans
totaling over $7.6 million between Oct. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2018.

This
is the second time in five years that WSB has received the award,
which is awarded by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“As
an independent community bank, and one of the largest SBA lenders in
Waukesha County, Waukesha State Bank is committed to investing in the
communities we serve to create vibrant places to live and work,”
Taylor said.

As
part of its goal to support local businesses, the bank also tries to
support local start-ups. In a given year, the bank typically lends
money to one start-up business per month.

Giving

Another
mission, the bank will remain committed to in the years ahead is local
giving. In the last five years alone, WSB has given over $1.5 million
to over 400 nonprofits, Taylor said.

As
part of its commitment to local giving, the bank is allocating $75 to
each of its employees in 2019 to donate to their favorite Waukesha
County nonprofit organization, church or school.

Waukesha
County nonprofits will also have a special opportunity to win a
$5,000, $2,000 or $500 grant this year, as part of the bank’s
anniversary celebrations. Applications for the grants will be
available in March, with the winners being announced on June 14.